Bootsy (born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati) is one of the all-time great funk and R&B bassists/singer/bandleader. He formed his first group, the Pacesetters, in 1968, featuring Phelps 'Catfish' Collins (his brother; guitar), Frankie 'Kash' Waddy (drums), and Philippe Wynne (later of The Spinners fame). From 1969 to 1971, the group functioned as James Brown's backup band and was dubbed the J.B.'s. In 1972, Bootsy joined George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic. Collins and Clinton soon established a lifelong personal and musical friendship. He launched Bootsy's Rubber Band as a spinoff of P-Funk in 1976, the band including his brother Phelps, Waddy (drums), Joel 'Razor Sharp' Johnson (keyboards), Gary 'Mudbone' Cooper (vocals), and Robert 'P-Nut' Johnson (vocals), along with 'the Horny Horns.' (He was sometimes billed alone as Bootsy, and sometimes as William 'Bootsy' Collins.)